316 ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 



Preserving Here is iiow before you the skin, without loss of any 



Birds. 



feathers, and all the flesh, fat, and imcleaned bones out of 



it, except the middle joint of the wings, one bone of the 

 thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. The extreme point 

 of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, compa- 

 ratively speaking, so that it requires no attention, except 

 touching it with the solution from the outside. Take all 

 the flesh from the remaining joint of the wing, and tie a 

 thread about four inches long to the end of it ; touch all 

 with the solution, and put the wing bone back into its 

 place. In baring this bone you must by no means pull 

 the skin ; you would tear it to pieces beyond all doubt, 

 for the ends of the long feathers are attached to the bone 

 itself ; you must push off the skin with your thumb -nail 

 and forefinger. Now skin the thigh quite to the knee ; 

 cut away all flesh and tendons, and leave the bone ; form 

 an artificial thigh round it Avith cotton ; apply the solu- 

 tion, and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh : the 

 same to the other thigh. 



Lastly, proceed to the tail ; take out the inside of the 

 oil-gland, remove all the remaining flesh from the root, 

 till you see the ends of the tail feathers ; give it the 

 solution, and replace it. Now take out all the cotton 

 which you have been putting into the body from time to 

 time to preserve the feathers from grease and stains. 

 Place the bird upon your knee on its back ; tie together 

 the two threads which you had fastened to the end of the 



